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Jagdpanzer V Jagdpanther
The Jagdpanzer V Jagdpanther was a German tank destroyer built on the Panther chassis and said to be the best tank destroyer of World War Two. Jagdpanther The Jagdpanther had been preceded by two attempts at mounting a 8.8 cm gun as a self-propelled anti-tank weapon. It most replace the Ferdinand and Nashorn, because the Ferdinand using the ninety-one leftover Porsche-built VK4501(P) chassis from the Tiger tank competition it had lost to Henschel in 1942 and proved to be to heavy and vulnerable againts enemy infantry. This is the reason why the Elephant had born after Kursk. The Nashorn using a Panzer III/IV chassis and proved small and underpowered. A heavy tank destroyer design based on the 8.8 cm Pak 43 gun and the Panther tank chassis was ordered in late 1942 as design SdKfz 173. The prototype by MIAG was demonstrated in October 1943 before Hitler. Production started in January 1944; in February Hitler specified the simpler Jagdpanther name instead of its original "8.8 cm Pak 43/3 auf Panzerjager Panther". To accommodate the heavier-calibre gun, much as on previous Jagdpanzer-style unturreted tank destroyers, the glacis plate and sloped hull sides of the Jagdpanther were extended up into an integral, turretless fixed casemate as part of the main hull itself to provide a roomy interior. The Jagdpanther had side armour of increased thickness (60 mm) to offset the slightly reduced angle of the side armour necessary to provide enough interior space. Frontal armour was 80mm. The new (April 1944) Panther Ausf. G had the same feature, to harmonize production and increase protection. It was armed with the same long-barreled 8.8 cm gun as the Tiger II "King Tiger". The gun was mounted in a central mantlet which gave it a limited traverse of 11 degrees to each side. A single 7.92 mm MG-34 machine gun for local defence was in a ball mount right hand side of the front glacis plate. The machine gunner was also the wireless operator. The driver sat on the left. The gunner had a rangefinder and a periscope telescopic sight. The periscope - linked to the gun mount - was under an armoured housing on the roof. The Jagdpanther had a good power-to-weight ratio and a powerful main gun, which enabled it to destroy any type of Allied tank. Based on the existing Panther Ausf G chassis, the vehicle did not suffer too many mechanical problems. It had an upgraded transmission (the Zf Ak 7-400 heavy duty) - which had been planned for the Panther II - and final drive to counter the Panther's main weakness. It was manned by a crew of six: a driver, radio-operator, commander, gunner and two loaders Two main variants can be distinguished, the earlier (1944 model) G1 with a small internally bolted main gun mantlet and a modified Panther A engine deck, and the later (1945 model) G2 with a larger simplified, outside-bolted mantlet and a modified Panther G engine deck, though late G1s also had the larger mantlet. Early Jagdpanthers had two vision openings for the driver, whereas late versions had only one. The main gun originally had a monobloc gun barrel but later versions were equipped with the Pak 43/4 gun with a two-part barrel. The two part barrel was more economical as barrel wear was not even. Early G1s (to September 1944) were given Zimmerit anti-magnetic mine coating in a distinctive "small-squared" pattern. BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-21-82.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-26-38.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-30-31.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-34-26.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-41-29.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-21-82.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-46-52.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-49-50-78.jpg BF1942 2014-08-14 21-43-53-22.jpg jagdpanther1.jpg jagdpanther2.jpg Jagdpanther (germany).jpg|Jagdpanther Improved Jagdpanther We have no further detail about this project during the war, but we can only say that FHSW adopted this improved tank hunter. This Jagdpanther is almost like the original but has an autoloader. With this, the gun can shoot 5 rounds in at least 5-6 seconds. However, after 5 shots you must reload the drum and this takes 10 seconds. Related to the British Sp 6 Pdr Molins. Jagdpanther with Night Vision Later the war, some German tank types are be improved with night vision. The Panther is one of them. The Jagdpanther will have not the night vision as standard, but in addition, it is reported but not supported that single unit equipped with Jagdpanthers also received and used infrared night-vision devices. The Panther had the Sperber/FG 1250. In FHSW even the non-imporved version and the improved version will have night vision. Category:German Ground Vehicles